Modi still seeks IPL disciplinary team reconstitution

Mehmood Abdi, the legal counsel of Lalit Modi, on Monday repeated his demand for the reconstitution of the IPL disciplinary committee.

Written by Press Trust of India

Read Time: 2 mins

New Delhi:

Mehmood Abdi, the legal counsel of Lalit Modi, on Monday repeated his demand for the reconstitution of the disciplinary committee probing charges of financial irregularities against the former IPL chairman in the conduct of the high-profile Twenty-20 league.

Citing the Cricket Board's by-laws, Abdi said BCCI, in its September 29 Annual General Meeting, reconstituted various committees except for the disciplinary committee.

"We are in a peculiar situation as of today. As per 1(Q) of BCCI by-laws various committees have to freshly constituted. In its AGM, they did not form a fresh disciplinary committee," Abdi told reporters here.

"As for us, therefore, there is no disciplinary committee in existence. There was no reconstitution, re-nomination or formation of the disciplinary body," he said.

He said he has passed on the message to the people concerned who have assured his client a reply by Tuesday.

"We have raised the matter with (Arun) Jaitley and Jyotiraditya Scindia, both members of disciplinary committee and they have passed on the message to BCCI. We have been assured a reply by day after tomorrow," Abdi said.

Modi had earlier approached the Supreme Court challenging the July 15 judgment of the Bombay High Court which dismissed his plea to stay the proceedings by a BCCI-appointed disciplinary committee probing allegations of financial irregularities against him.

He has sought removal of Jaitley and IPL present chief Chirayu Amin from the three-member committee, which also has Scindya in it, contending that they are likely to be biased against him.

Modi's lawyer also expressed hope that sooner or later his client will be given a clean chit from all the charges.

"Our ultimate target is to make Modi come out clean from these charges which has been brought by some people with vested interest. There is no laxity on Modi's part to co-operate with the agencies or BCCI," Abdi said.

He also made it clear that his client is not a fugitive and was not returning to the country because of death threats.

"Modi is presently in London and is in contact with all concerned authorities. Competent people have advised him not to return to India as there is eminent threat to his life," he said.